NYC: Where Cool Offices are Sticking

All those “perks” will seem pretty lame after you read about some of the most incredible offices the Big Apple has to offer.

That’s because in New York City, arcade games, ping pong tables and even an office miniature pony are just a drop in the bucket by way of sweet office features.

If you think your office needs a little dose of fun, check out how these New York-based offices are raising the bar (some literally) on office furniture and office culture makeovers:

Etsy Office

What office doesn’t need a giant cardboard bird?

When you’re home to one of the largest craft sites on the web, then it only makes sense that you have a 9-foot-tall homemade, cardboard owl guarding your office like the one at Etsy’s Brooklyn headquarters. The office has plenty more artsy items, like life-size telephone booths, a space-station themed office, and weekly arts & crafts lessons. Also, all new staff members get a $100 credit to the site to decorate their workspace, naturally. Take a photo tour.

Google:
The office features a life-size mural of the city’s signature yellow taxis waiting in an intersection, as well as built-in QR-code signs on the wall, fake TV antennas and sound-proof walls filled with electric guitars and drums, according to Inc. magazine. Don’t want to wait on an elevator? There’s a ladder shoot complete with bag for your laptop (don’t want to drop it!) and rather than walk from place to place, employees use scooters. There’s even offices designed to look exactly like a New York City apartment. Take a video tour here.

AOL Ventures:
Housed in the former Brooks Brothers headquarters, the decor pays a nod to the old boy’s club with vintage billiards tables and aged oriental rugs along with arched windows and doorways and exposed brick walls. According to Inc., the cave-like meeting rooms feature found artifacts like old medicine books and magnifying glasses.

The Wonderfactory
Rather than settle on one theme for the headquarters of this website design company, designers created an exotic theme for each space, featuring bold colors and cool pieces (like two hanging chairs with a view of the Empire State Building) and a secret door hidden behind a bookcase according to Inc. Take a video tour to see more amazing features.

Heineken USA
Your first peek at the U.S. headquarters for the popular Dutch brew might not leave you feeling all that inspired. After all, who doesn’t have an open office with low joint workstations these days? What makes this spot cool is the fact that you don’t even need to leave the building for happy hour. The office features a huge bar branded with the Heineken logo and other artifacts.

Bloomberg Office

Bright, sleek offices with pops of color make Bloomberg’s New York headquarters a design standout.

The famous media company also has a booming tech arm and it’s headquarters reflect a sleek, futuristic vision with large glass walls, open TV studios, spinning TV monitors and circular meeting rooms. The office also features fish tanks, a sun-flooded snack bar and functional art that doubles as office furniture. Take a video tour here.

Gawker

Employees at Gawker gather for a late-night LEGO robot-building competition (we’re not kidding, in this picture they’re just claiming work space, but the LEGO will be coming out).

If you pine after the days you spent in the stacks of your college library, then you’d love the offices of Gawker, which were designed to feel a bit more academic than corporate. The space includes a series of phone booths where employees can have private conversations and an uber-hip lounge area featuring exposed brick and tufted leather furniture. Employees work at large draftsman tables in an open office with a nod to steampunk stylings or on nice days can head up to the rooftop deck for some fresh air.

Thrillist
If you’re a male-focused website that purports to offer visitors the latest, coolest, under-the-radar swag and hot spots around the country, then it’s important to walk the talk. That’s why conference rooms and office refrigerators at the Thrillist headquarters stock beer, and plenty of it. In addition to its unconventional beverage selection, the office touts a swag closet filled with manly items like barbecue swords and grenade-shaped salt and pepper shakers with a hallway full of Picasso-inspired super hero art. Take a video tour.